I think the great and largely unanswered question for many Christians is: "Are we prepared to accept our union with the crucified and risen Lord, not only as the basis of being received by The Father, but also as the way we walk day by day"? As thoroughly discussed in my last blog the penetrating problem is one of the personality we choose to abide in which influences our walk. Make no mistake it is entirely our choice. This new person we have been made into in Christ is not available, as a aware life choice just by assumption upon our justification: but by patiently desiring and then waiting upon the Lord to undo our old man and install the new in our renewed mind by the Spirit. For this to take place in our being we must become thoroughly familiar with the presence of the old nature in ourselves, the first Adam. The problem is often we do not make ourselves available. We have become comfortable in the old man, he has always been our home. You could say we stand at the wrong station and miss the right train and never know it. Just why is that? Because we do not fully believe the Word of God; as it applies to the death of this flesh life first man; whom we all must deal with each day. Spirit has not become a recognizable identity as to a sustainable condition in the New Adam identity. The new creation has not become a perceived real identification of ourselves in the now. A product of failure to have faith in identity/and positional biblical facts and lack of exposure to this biblical reality. You have not been taught it! We fail to recognize ourselves in Christ. The old man smothers his presence. But fear not! God will have his way with you. One important key to growth is being open to exposure of concepts once foreign to us, thereby expanding potential. We are all being prepared; as is all the earth, including the trees, rocks, animals, and most of all His children: who are the actual living Body of His Son by Spirit. We just must contend, as the assurance road winds its way slowly.
It seems my heart must be broken each day in the process of my formation. I awake many mornings with the regrets of yesterday. Why did I not just say this or that? Why was I so selfish? Am I doomed to look at each yesterday with failure? Often it seems so. But no! The Father has given me this day to start anew. The ground was being prepared by His situational guidance even in my sin and self centered past. The important thing I am grateful for on this new morning is the knowledge that I am being formed by His Spirit to a new degree of maturity each day. By taking my place in the New Man, a conscious union with God. He has made me His in just this way.. Which enables me to approach my heavenly position in awareness and with a new understanding, at least to the degree that I know heaven is my home in the here and now by position. And that eternal life is found in apprehending my spiritual life, which is the only one of value to The Father and is present in Christ, in whom I am seen by God. A Spiritual condition not dependent upon my behavior. If I am in Him by Spirit, identified by His Manhood in heaven, in that He became one like me for just that purpose. I can know I have a sin free representation before The Father. Jesus is the federal figure the Father sees for me! No need for any shame or even regret. His perfection is my new identity. I may take my place above in confidence, in knowing that. This can only be true and must be taken in faith, for The Word says; "God has raised us up together, and made us to sit in heavenly places in Christ Jesus" Eph. 2:6. If my friends this is only a figure of speech to be glossed over as a kind and comforting saying, as it mostly has, then we are relegated to this earth and this world system. If untrue in a spiritual literal sense then the Church and it's flock are not really heavenly as portrayed by The Word. Are these words only a metaphor to take earthly rest in? If so.... The Crucifixion of Christ was to no effect. The bible is not perfectly true, and applicative to our daily life and descriptive of the actual condition which we are in, in Spirit.. We are not seen in Christ by The Father in heaven. And again, if so.... we above all are to be most pitied. The road to assurance would remain blocked by the lies we believed from the world and the truth left uncovered: may it never be!
We will never be fully matured all at once. We start as babies; all be it, many remain through out this life in the crib. The road to assurance is a slow one! Requiring fortitude and faithful determination. Our new spiritual strength is not made by great effort in a hurried way. The growth we gain as to our new transformed life contained in Christ is the result of being nourished in the Word. Remember we do not grow by effort, but by exercise. "Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; fret not" Ps. 37.7. Of course as we merrily row along the stream we will be subjugated to all kinds of interruptions, and have fostered upon us the world's ways, so awareness and vigilance must be taken.
I believe its of no use to explain Spirit, nor will anyone ever truly understand the spiritual life until they come to a firm conviction and understanding of what makes themselves tick in the natural mode. We can never get over ourselves. We must become acquainted with ourselves, as the first Adam is always there. So knowledge as to our status/position mentally and spiritually both of our old nature and of the new Adam we are contained by and in Christ is crucial. Why are we the way we are as natural men? Always ready to sin and made so susceptible to the world's falsehoods and the folly of men. Sigmund Freud, for whom God was a mere delusion, saw in the observance of human behavior and by developing a psychological incite into it, a source for power. By the understanding of the behavioral patterns of men and women he came to the belief they could be controlled. They were predictable. In other words people were like puppets to be molded into whats best for them or suits others. This observance of human nature gave birth to modern psychological teaching and greatly contributed to the secular capitalist system. Which now is dependent to a large extent for self enrichment upon gain at the expense of others, upon the prediction of the patterns of movement as men seek pre- programed comfort and advancement. A far cry from the true capitalistic theory of applied resources for the advancement of collective betterment, with the following action to be from personal enlightened self interests as the result. You could ideally say the best product/result for the best reason. However, the development of a self centered system necessitated, and grew into what we now know as modern merchandising. Having been born by the introduction of Freudian based public relations in the early 1900's. This system has been purposefully used with full knowledge of its roots in the spirit of greed, both by private corporation's and government to control and manage the very lives we now live, including our very own movements and thoughts. And has taken on a bureaucratic life of it's own. No need for conspiracy! The goal of course is to gain wealth and power from this form of mind image production: its a natural for the palpation of the residing power. This predictable propensity of mankind so astutely observed by Freud has also not gone unnoticed by our enemy Satan; look around, you know it's true! Sin's lure is marketed everywhere and consumed greedily by all! We happily sacrifice tomorrow for the good feeling of today. Could this kind of life possibly in any way display the spirit of Christianity? We fashion our lives in the flesh as we are told and too often live there. Now the question? How do we grow in Christ amongst the enemy's custom designed Adamic world system that we call progress and modernism. Even while it surrounds us and lives right inside us; in order to manipulate our very thoughts; by the natural flow of the worlds applied behavior patterns. Which we commonly embrace as a normal life style and have incorporated into our very christian experience.
The real question here is how much do the circumstances of life lived in the first Adam shut out the truth of Spirit? The answer is; "very much indeed"! That is why the Word of God calls us to turn from the mind of the world to the mind of God. "And do not be fashioned according to this age, [world system and influence] but be transformed [a new mind completely]by the renewing of your mind [all new thinking as to who we are] that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and well pleasing and perfect" Rom12.2. My friends, the only way we will see that which is perfect this side of the grave is by looking to Jesus Christ and seeing ourselves with, in and represented by Him. Just as The Father does. If we cannot see that Spiritual truth, then there is little hope for growth and the world will be our guiding influence much of the time; stuck with Satan's system which is a certain place of defeat for a Christian to live. Oh yes it's true we may clap our hands and sing a song, say a Amen and leave the assembly feeling quite good. Only to enter the realm of self upon our departure, never having exited the old man.
Carl Jung, a protegee of Freud, took a different route than Freud. He too believed much of Freud's introspection and analytical theory; however he saw a way out of the slump we were in mentally. Where as Freud called for acceptance of the condition and learning to live with it. Much like our current compromise. Jung called for growth and change once we encounter the self driven mind and were made aware. Taking action by a self analytical approach or a knowledge of who and what we are up against, empowering us. I firmly believe that it is only by the clash of these destructive forces in the inner man will our new creation in Christ appear, for us to appraise and then except as life. A powerful and world shaking force appeared on the earth in Jesus Christ, He clashed with sin and the natural nature, He defeated death, and Satan upon the Cross, for the Father first, then us. A new creation was made by this destructive/creative force in Resurrection, which had never appeared to man before. A man became recognized as God's Son. While we are not God in anyway, we are by the bibles declaration one with Christ in all these events, included by The Fathers will. Becoming the brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ Himself inheriting all that He is as family. And that by the Fathers choice! Now we have a chance to see a clear path, we need no longer be Freudian victims; recovery from what we are in the old nature is available in the Word of God. If we have faith it is true, and care to take the time to learn it's value. Applying The Word's announcement of heavenly presence in Christ as a occupation of our mortality here. We simply must my friends become self defined by that truth for any true victory realized on this side of things. Your slow road of assurance has for you along the way a new revelation. You know longer need to live for yourself: "it is written, man shall not live on bread alone, [things provided by the world] but on every word that proceeds out through the mouth of God" Matt. 4:4. The slow road of assurance is our destiny, let us day by day traverse its reliable way for the ultimate recovery.
Saturday, May 31, 2014
Saturday, May 24, 2014
ARE YOU MINDING YOUR MATTER ?
You know there's something that really bothers me. If God wanted us to build a Church on this earth which is a reproduction of the first; why did He leave it for us to do? What poor stewards of this goal we are, that's for sure. By my observation we are not even close to living in the shadow of what we are called to be in The Body of Christ by faith, if the bibles mandate for the Church [Jesus Christ as reality and life] be the guide anyway. And if man was in any way capable of building a organization with such perfect form himself why hasn't he been able to in the past two thousand years? I mean just look around at the religious/political/financial mess the world is in! Just where has our [the Church's] influence changed much in the macro? Yes I know we Christians like to think we are doing a good job for God, and some surely are. But lets be real here; people make a real mess along the way including within the Church. Whats the reason for all the confusion in both the world and the Church? Its all because we have a Adam 1 problem i.e. sin nature, which we can never get away from, as it permanently lives is our flesh.. Few even officially recognize it, nor much more the need to shed it in order to even approach being the Church. Little credit is given for the need to enter into the new nature given us by The Father in Christ in any conscious awareness. That is if we are to accomplish anything of godly value anyway. See 1 Cor. 15:45-49 to make this clearer!! We just can't get it right that is, if we work and try to prosper for God from the self centered soul of the first Adam. Yes I know many good things and great sacrifice's are taking place in Christendom. However the natural souled man who seeks comfort from a worldly way, apprehending his service as what is true as to a contribution by him for the carrying out God's work. Where as by the Word of God's declaration, if he is not in the Spirit of the new nature he is not even capable of pleasing the Father. No our true call is to; "keep on seeking the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God" Col. 3:1. But it seems the great seeking by mankind in general is all about self relief, we will always want comfort and attempt gain, its natural. Or prove ourselves by action and a job well done. On the contrary according to The Father we are along with Paul are to say; "but what things were gain to me, those I counted as loss for Christ" Phil. 3:7. The world for a Adam 1 life is living in the worlds system conducting our Christianity in the flesh; which is corrupt to the max. We all know that, just look around!. Jesus said; "if any man will come after me let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily" Luke 9:23. To take up the cross is the opposite of worldliness and the natural Adam flesh, by flesh the meaning here is: a state of being and conduct outside of God, which is us conducting ourselves by our natural inclinations, or what seems right to us. Yes there are good people along the road, but they all have failed, at least if their hope was a improvement of the overall prevailing flesh and its inherit evil. Because they were dealing with a dead instrument, and a condemned world, at least according to the bible. " But you are not living the life of the flesh [it was pronounced dead in God's determination, on the Cross] you are living the life of the Spirit, if the Spirit of God really dwells within you---directs and controls you" Rom. 8:9. As example: a collective mankind who would sanction war and borrowing as the road to their own security, and embrace the finalization of our children's future is not to be relied upon for any spiritual apprehension I believe. This is not the system in which the Christian should expect a contribution to growth in Christ as life to be found. It is the world of works and law corrupted by mans innate selfishness. Nor should it be the system he embraces. Unless he lives in the flesh that is. I see no need to model my life after, nor depend upon such a disappointing world atmosphere. I desire to repent from adherence to this system. To be separate from the world, not ape it. I prefer to enter the mindset in which I gain freedom in Christ through apprehension of The Spirit. Unless of course I am attempting to mind my matter in the flesh modality.
Well what might be the reason for such a comprise? A great deal of our material standards today are built upon a worldly conspiracy to gather wealth, and main line Christianity has become attracted to that lure. And so has much of the congregation. Yes the Church does wonderful things and I know most love Jesus and are brothers and sisters in Christ; but the word invasion comes to mind. Never the less, I know we must always stress those who hold Jesus Christ as Saviour are set aside in Christ in the most total security possible, regardless! The great deficit my friends is weak faith, simple as that. Just think if we only had the faith really to believe and live the life of, "being justified by faith, we have peace with God-through our Lord Jesus Christ" Rom. 5:1. And just think if that were all we needed to know or desired, for the satisfaction of the condition we find ourselves in here? A life through Christ being the key, as our conscious daily awareness of our soul. The consideration of the world's normal daily trauma set aside in favor of His presence. I think it is clear we are weak in knowing this truth. Why? To call upon the name of the Lord in a manner as this kind of peace requires we must have a total reliance upon something unseen. The very definition of faith, Heb. 11:1. To have peace here and with God we must pass through Christ and we cannot see Him, so instead we substitute a approved lifestyle, a comfortable tradition perhaps. That is where the waters get muddy. Its really the mystery of the human mind that cause's all the problem: we just always want to go our own way. Mostly this takes place psychology. We come to the table with formed souls and minds, a flesh nature, a natural personality, damaged to some extent, along the way by the world.. Which will gladly lends itself to the Adam 1 prescription for life which many choose to actively live in. But for the Christian the availability of a complete new nature has been set aside in The Spirit of Christ, in which we may abide by faith. Our own matter is set aside for good as we have been given access to a new mind and been made to be new men and women by His Spirit, and this is realized only in spirit and only by faith. Nothing my friends will ever be accomplished to please God in the flesh. The father is simply incapable of sanctioning a life lived in the flesh, for he is Holy and we are as natural Adam 1 creatures only sin; despite good works and a wholesome lifestyle. A condition unavoidable for the human being. Yet thanks to God's Spiritual provision we have another wonderful option.
How much are we expected by God to come to life's terms on and by His conditions? Which by the Word is through and in Christ and in Spirit? What does the Word say about that? "He the Father has chosen us in Him [the son] before the foundation of the world" Eph.1:4. For what you might ask? To be saved yes. But also, the answer of Paul was; once saved, " I long to know Christ and the power which is in His Resurrection" Phil. 3:10. Could he or we ask for more? Can we truly know this power? Remember my friends; "your life is hid with Christ in God" Col. 3:3, and that is where we may find the power, in awareness of this positional fact. I would venture to say the implications of that wonder may bear some needful consideration of obligation for allegiance in us Christians toward the apprehension of Christ as life in The Spirit, as the advised coerce. Maybe not necessarily resulting in our comfort and gain in this world, but His glory where the only true value is! It should be obvious that this life we are given in Christ is not to be judged by our accomplishments and gain; although blessed it may be. But we are to worship The Father through Christ The Spirit, in spirit. This requires an acquaintanceship with Adam 2.
Adam 2 is the new man I spoke of. God has declared you to be just that; all new and necessarily so. A purely spiritual condition. Its by your own reckoning it is to be made known in our minds. When did this take place? In the death of Jesus Christ and by the power of his Resurrection we were, "set free from the tyranny of sin, and became bond servants of Righteousness" Rom. 6:18 While this impacts our body, it could not possibly take place by or in the flesh. He did not make our natural sinful man better! The term tyranny should be taken note of here. This is release and freedom given us from the very condition we acquired and which we all currently must deal with, in Adam 1. Which the Word describes as tyrannical. A gift of grace has taken place for all Christians, but few are aware of its freedom in this life. Why is that? Because the need to be deposed by faith of the natural flesh in their Adam 1 has not been made great enough! A change of mind completely. Why would we allow ourselves to live under the hard hand of this oppressor? Because we are yet unaware there is a alternative. We still are minding our matter.
Is it necessary to cast aside your worldly goods, go to a mountain top to find your new Adam? No my faithful friends we only need look as far as our minds. The Word of God has revealed your new nature. "God who is rich in mercy, for His great love with which He loved us...has made us alive together with Christ...and has raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places [position] in Christ Jesus" Eph. 2:4-6. This verse can be conceived in spirit only. If a attempt is made to apply this spiritual truth to the Adam 1 flesh natural life it simply will not fit. It can only be apprehended in spirit. This my friends is the home of the second Adam whose destiny the Word portrays as follows; "so that he can no longer spend the rest of his natural life living by [his] human appetites and desires but [he lives] for what God [who is Spirit] wills" 1 Pet. 4:2, Amp. What is His will for us? "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke [the world of traditions, works, the law and the self centered flesh] of bondage" Gal. 5:1. And; "God forbid that I should glory, except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" Gal. 6:14. You see friend there simply is no room for a embrace of natural life in true living Christianity. We must gain all by Spirit, which will, when apprehended, change our walk from one which is controlled by conditions which prevail here in the flesh to a heavenly position where we will find the gift given in the second Adam. The bible holds this truth as self evident: "Christian experience is our measure of apprehension of that which is already true of us in the Lord Jesus Christ", which is the essence of position/identity in Christ and the path to spiritual freedom and true service. My dear friends, forge life's meaning by the Spirit build your identity in Christ and by that you will, display Jesus on this earth! Your matter has been dealt with on the Cross and no longer requires minding!
Well what might be the reason for such a comprise? A great deal of our material standards today are built upon a worldly conspiracy to gather wealth, and main line Christianity has become attracted to that lure. And so has much of the congregation. Yes the Church does wonderful things and I know most love Jesus and are brothers and sisters in Christ; but the word invasion comes to mind. Never the less, I know we must always stress those who hold Jesus Christ as Saviour are set aside in Christ in the most total security possible, regardless! The great deficit my friends is weak faith, simple as that. Just think if we only had the faith really to believe and live the life of, "being justified by faith, we have peace with God-through our Lord Jesus Christ" Rom. 5:1. And just think if that were all we needed to know or desired, for the satisfaction of the condition we find ourselves in here? A life through Christ being the key, as our conscious daily awareness of our soul. The consideration of the world's normal daily trauma set aside in favor of His presence. I think it is clear we are weak in knowing this truth. Why? To call upon the name of the Lord in a manner as this kind of peace requires we must have a total reliance upon something unseen. The very definition of faith, Heb. 11:1. To have peace here and with God we must pass through Christ and we cannot see Him, so instead we substitute a approved lifestyle, a comfortable tradition perhaps. That is where the waters get muddy. Its really the mystery of the human mind that cause's all the problem: we just always want to go our own way. Mostly this takes place psychology. We come to the table with formed souls and minds, a flesh nature, a natural personality, damaged to some extent, along the way by the world.. Which will gladly lends itself to the Adam 1 prescription for life which many choose to actively live in. But for the Christian the availability of a complete new nature has been set aside in The Spirit of Christ, in which we may abide by faith. Our own matter is set aside for good as we have been given access to a new mind and been made to be new men and women by His Spirit, and this is realized only in spirit and only by faith. Nothing my friends will ever be accomplished to please God in the flesh. The father is simply incapable of sanctioning a life lived in the flesh, for he is Holy and we are as natural Adam 1 creatures only sin; despite good works and a wholesome lifestyle. A condition unavoidable for the human being. Yet thanks to God's Spiritual provision we have another wonderful option.
How much are we expected by God to come to life's terms on and by His conditions? Which by the Word is through and in Christ and in Spirit? What does the Word say about that? "He the Father has chosen us in Him [the son] before the foundation of the world" Eph.1:4. For what you might ask? To be saved yes. But also, the answer of Paul was; once saved, " I long to know Christ and the power which is in His Resurrection" Phil. 3:10. Could he or we ask for more? Can we truly know this power? Remember my friends; "your life is hid with Christ in God" Col. 3:3, and that is where we may find the power, in awareness of this positional fact. I would venture to say the implications of that wonder may bear some needful consideration of obligation for allegiance in us Christians toward the apprehension of Christ as life in The Spirit, as the advised coerce. Maybe not necessarily resulting in our comfort and gain in this world, but His glory where the only true value is! It should be obvious that this life we are given in Christ is not to be judged by our accomplishments and gain; although blessed it may be. But we are to worship The Father through Christ The Spirit, in spirit. This requires an acquaintanceship with Adam 2.
Adam 2 is the new man I spoke of. God has declared you to be just that; all new and necessarily so. A purely spiritual condition. Its by your own reckoning it is to be made known in our minds. When did this take place? In the death of Jesus Christ and by the power of his Resurrection we were, "set free from the tyranny of sin, and became bond servants of Righteousness" Rom. 6:18 While this impacts our body, it could not possibly take place by or in the flesh. He did not make our natural sinful man better! The term tyranny should be taken note of here. This is release and freedom given us from the very condition we acquired and which we all currently must deal with, in Adam 1. Which the Word describes as tyrannical. A gift of grace has taken place for all Christians, but few are aware of its freedom in this life. Why is that? Because the need to be deposed by faith of the natural flesh in their Adam 1 has not been made great enough! A change of mind completely. Why would we allow ourselves to live under the hard hand of this oppressor? Because we are yet unaware there is a alternative. We still are minding our matter.
Is it necessary to cast aside your worldly goods, go to a mountain top to find your new Adam? No my faithful friends we only need look as far as our minds. The Word of God has revealed your new nature. "God who is rich in mercy, for His great love with which He loved us...has made us alive together with Christ...and has raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places [position] in Christ Jesus" Eph. 2:4-6. This verse can be conceived in spirit only. If a attempt is made to apply this spiritual truth to the Adam 1 flesh natural life it simply will not fit. It can only be apprehended in spirit. This my friends is the home of the second Adam whose destiny the Word portrays as follows; "so that he can no longer spend the rest of his natural life living by [his] human appetites and desires but [he lives] for what God [who is Spirit] wills" 1 Pet. 4:2, Amp. What is His will for us? "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke [the world of traditions, works, the law and the self centered flesh] of bondage" Gal. 5:1. And; "God forbid that I should glory, except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" Gal. 6:14. You see friend there simply is no room for a embrace of natural life in true living Christianity. We must gain all by Spirit, which will, when apprehended, change our walk from one which is controlled by conditions which prevail here in the flesh to a heavenly position where we will find the gift given in the second Adam. The bible holds this truth as self evident: "Christian experience is our measure of apprehension of that which is already true of us in the Lord Jesus Christ", which is the essence of position/identity in Christ and the path to spiritual freedom and true service. My dear friends, forge life's meaning by the Spirit build your identity in Christ and by that you will, display Jesus on this earth! Your matter has been dealt with on the Cross and no longer requires minding!
Saturday, May 17, 2014
ACCEPTING THE MYSTERY IN RECOVERY
Many wonder as to the entry into heaven of their pets. Ever thought about that? Why not? Pets cats, dogs, birds, etc. don't spend an inordinate amount of their life dealing with sin and worldly temptations like us. Animals just live out their time wallowing in the truth of there own circumstances: that of utter dependents, either upon nature or the good graces of man. So why would they not qualify? From the standpoint of their conscious mind they appear cleared for entry, it might seem? What lucky beasts indeed, no worries of guilt, or inferiority's to beat down their poor soul's. They simply face the condition of their life and receive it in complete faith day by day moment by moment. It could be they perceive themselves only in very shot equivalences of time, as to their internal awareness of their own existence. So that each minute or hour would always seem new as a sort of permanent condition. Perhaps we could learn from their example? What a beautiful thought. If only we could see each day new, and really believe it. No past to haunt us, no unknown tomorrows to worry about. So for instance if we are happy for a day it would be as all our life were happy. And the next day would be the same. Every day a happy day. Of course since we are human there also might be the occasional bad day, or just plain terrible day. Oh no, if we thought as our pets then would a bad day seem to last for ever too? No way I would sign up for life on those terms; permanently conditionally bad you could say. Yet many do, by choosing to remain the same. Yes our problem just might be the old self centered nature is always available if called upon, by being relived each day, and therefore that's what defines the moments of our life. Is there a alternative to that end? There must be, surely The Father would not leave His children to such a fate!
I've thought a lot this week about the conditions I have developed for my life, as to defining the moment. I've come a long way these last three years, at least in my own estimation. From once finding myself with no will to live because of a seemingly unfulfilled Christian promise which I still believed and had hoped was true. Calling each day upon my natural human instincts to come to the rescue: but to no avail. Why were the circumstances of life so difficult for me? Then I entered a new path of faith in finding the biblical truth of my position and identity in Christ; often on a pink cloud of new understanding. I saw my entire Christian life change because of the doctrine [study]of positional truth. I learned that I not only had a place in heaven in the by and by, but that I was there now contained or positioned in Jesus Christ; if I only would seek a life in Spirit, a mentally observed condition.. I found by the spiritual way Jesus is my very own personal representative before The Father, as all I could ever be to Him. I came to apprehend myself as perfect before God in Christ. Which was a great gain of power for me in overcoming this life and all its troubles. A new mental image of myself offering great hope for the carrying on of this earthly existence. Transferred to the life of my Saviour. I have of late though come to a very frustrating place; as I've stated in past blogs. With the knowing of this truth. I now wish every Christian could have the same freedom and joy. But they, I now know cannot, except in their own time. I have to be fine with that, and I am in process to that end I hope! The great change now for me at this time is acceptance. What a relief! I have come to realize I can indeed be in control of my future, something like our friends the animals; by creating conditions for good days ahead. By opening my mind, spirit and efforts to a divine preoccupation, a permanent constant awareness if you will, of my present position in Christ, which now defines my life. And acceptance of other Christians in that exact same position: but perhaps unaware, is the door opener which affords me the opportunity to live happily with the results.
The other day I went to a local mega Church and listened to a message which was uplifting and glorified our Lord. At the end of the service the Pastors mother came up to the stage, as it was mothers day, and gave a short testimony. It sounded like she and her family lived the happy perfect Christian life. A Pastors wife, the mother of a Pastor, surrounded by her children grand children and even great grandchildren. I wondered does she know she is positioned in Christ in heaven in the way I have come to? Is that a clear doctrine in her mind? A spiritual self awareness. Who knows? Perhaps not. Yet there she stands, a child of God, clearly so blessed, and such a blessing to others. I also have been attending a Friday night home group with some folks called The Local Church. Christian followers of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee. They are perhaps the most sincere group of Christians I've ever came in contact with. Their Goal is to recover the spirit of the first New Testament Church. Trail blazers you could say on the road to God's destiny for all Christians. They have developed a system which brings them comfort and I am sure glorifies The Lord. Their emphases however does not seem to include, at least in terms I am familiar with, a teaching of the spiritual position in Christ which they and all Christians are contained in; yet they possess great joy, purpose and accomplish a sweet end, in nurturing others in Christ and bringing many to faith in our Lord. And in fact are raising up a army of well schooled disciples.
Charles Dickens once said; "a wonderful fact to reflect upon is that every human creature is so constituted to be that profound secret and mystery to every other". At lest until that secret is given to another I might add. I must not contend with God in my deep desire for all to know the joy of positional truth, as He knows the deepest parts of us all, the secrets we hold are reveled to Him. The mind of our fellows is indeed a mystery. But all brothers and sisters are on the same road together. Sure I wish they would only see it my way. But The Father knows all the ins and outs, the conditions that prevail and control and He has the outcome already completed in His vision for us. We will all be used; God has always raised up a guiding light. It is only much later that we realize the profound power of a individuals contribution in the affairs of our Lord; as with Luther, Darby, Nee and I am sure many others whom we are not even aware of, regardless of their doctrinal depth. Just who is He using now? While I am sure there are special souls waiting in the wings, I would like to think the answer is all Christians. He will have us conformed into the image of His Son. And He needs all of us to do it. We are His Church and all collectively the bride of Christ. Surely the Bride would not be allowed to enter the wedding chamber unprepared to please her husband. The father know this and we can rest in the assurance our hearts and minds are being made ready. Often it just doesn't seem so. But that's another story. Never the less He uses all things for His Glory and all of our life is involved.
I have come to realize Paul's advise to Timothy was very good. To not entangle himself with the affairs of this life, 2 Tim. 2:4. So I must let go also. The Father has a unique plan for each one. Mr Stoney elaborated on this very subject in my morning devotional today, which I will gladly use here in my own paraphrase. "The secret to know our personal calling is to not look to others, but simply walk in close fellowship with The Father. We must go forward in individual faithfulness. The effort to drag others to some understanding just holds us back. Its far better to perhaps gain a few along the way rather than search for a great impact and thereby get a large number who may be halfhearted. We have to learn the Lord for ourselves, that's what will remain. Each one has his own history". My good friends, I have come to learn that by striving to be interested in The Lords interests, I have found a way of life, even a specialty. In that the mission of my life is now being formed. Even by the help of accepting the mystery that each is so constituted by The Father to be just that my way has been made more clear.
I've thought a lot this week about the conditions I have developed for my life, as to defining the moment. I've come a long way these last three years, at least in my own estimation. From once finding myself with no will to live because of a seemingly unfulfilled Christian promise which I still believed and had hoped was true. Calling each day upon my natural human instincts to come to the rescue: but to no avail. Why were the circumstances of life so difficult for me? Then I entered a new path of faith in finding the biblical truth of my position and identity in Christ; often on a pink cloud of new understanding. I saw my entire Christian life change because of the doctrine [study]of positional truth. I learned that I not only had a place in heaven in the by and by, but that I was there now contained or positioned in Jesus Christ; if I only would seek a life in Spirit, a mentally observed condition.. I found by the spiritual way Jesus is my very own personal representative before The Father, as all I could ever be to Him. I came to apprehend myself as perfect before God in Christ. Which was a great gain of power for me in overcoming this life and all its troubles. A new mental image of myself offering great hope for the carrying on of this earthly existence. Transferred to the life of my Saviour. I have of late though come to a very frustrating place; as I've stated in past blogs. With the knowing of this truth. I now wish every Christian could have the same freedom and joy. But they, I now know cannot, except in their own time. I have to be fine with that, and I am in process to that end I hope! The great change now for me at this time is acceptance. What a relief! I have come to realize I can indeed be in control of my future, something like our friends the animals; by creating conditions for good days ahead. By opening my mind, spirit and efforts to a divine preoccupation, a permanent constant awareness if you will, of my present position in Christ, which now defines my life. And acceptance of other Christians in that exact same position: but perhaps unaware, is the door opener which affords me the opportunity to live happily with the results.
The other day I went to a local mega Church and listened to a message which was uplifting and glorified our Lord. At the end of the service the Pastors mother came up to the stage, as it was mothers day, and gave a short testimony. It sounded like she and her family lived the happy perfect Christian life. A Pastors wife, the mother of a Pastor, surrounded by her children grand children and even great grandchildren. I wondered does she know she is positioned in Christ in heaven in the way I have come to? Is that a clear doctrine in her mind? A spiritual self awareness. Who knows? Perhaps not. Yet there she stands, a child of God, clearly so blessed, and such a blessing to others. I also have been attending a Friday night home group with some folks called The Local Church. Christian followers of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee. They are perhaps the most sincere group of Christians I've ever came in contact with. Their Goal is to recover the spirit of the first New Testament Church. Trail blazers you could say on the road to God's destiny for all Christians. They have developed a system which brings them comfort and I am sure glorifies The Lord. Their emphases however does not seem to include, at least in terms I am familiar with, a teaching of the spiritual position in Christ which they and all Christians are contained in; yet they possess great joy, purpose and accomplish a sweet end, in nurturing others in Christ and bringing many to faith in our Lord. And in fact are raising up a army of well schooled disciples.
Charles Dickens once said; "a wonderful fact to reflect upon is that every human creature is so constituted to be that profound secret and mystery to every other". At lest until that secret is given to another I might add. I must not contend with God in my deep desire for all to know the joy of positional truth, as He knows the deepest parts of us all, the secrets we hold are reveled to Him. The mind of our fellows is indeed a mystery. But all brothers and sisters are on the same road together. Sure I wish they would only see it my way. But The Father knows all the ins and outs, the conditions that prevail and control and He has the outcome already completed in His vision for us. We will all be used; God has always raised up a guiding light. It is only much later that we realize the profound power of a individuals contribution in the affairs of our Lord; as with Luther, Darby, Nee and I am sure many others whom we are not even aware of, regardless of their doctrinal depth. Just who is He using now? While I am sure there are special souls waiting in the wings, I would like to think the answer is all Christians. He will have us conformed into the image of His Son. And He needs all of us to do it. We are His Church and all collectively the bride of Christ. Surely the Bride would not be allowed to enter the wedding chamber unprepared to please her husband. The father know this and we can rest in the assurance our hearts and minds are being made ready. Often it just doesn't seem so. But that's another story. Never the less He uses all things for His Glory and all of our life is involved.
I have come to realize Paul's advise to Timothy was very good. To not entangle himself with the affairs of this life, 2 Tim. 2:4. So I must let go also. The Father has a unique plan for each one. Mr Stoney elaborated on this very subject in my morning devotional today, which I will gladly use here in my own paraphrase. "The secret to know our personal calling is to not look to others, but simply walk in close fellowship with The Father. We must go forward in individual faithfulness. The effort to drag others to some understanding just holds us back. Its far better to perhaps gain a few along the way rather than search for a great impact and thereby get a large number who may be halfhearted. We have to learn the Lord for ourselves, that's what will remain. Each one has his own history". My good friends, I have come to learn that by striving to be interested in The Lords interests, I have found a way of life, even a specialty. In that the mission of my life is now being formed. Even by the help of accepting the mystery that each is so constituted by The Father to be just that my way has been made more clear.
Saturday, May 10, 2014
UNFORMING THE OLD NATURE
There is a feeling of clarity when once we step into the realm and atmosphere of the Spirit. In the world it seems there are always many corners to be rounded off. Objects to overcome. A diversion at every intersection. To the contrary the Spirit is like a vast tundra, a open landscape as far as the eye can see, on and on without interruption.
Death is oddly enough the entrance to our true salvation with unlimited view. The Father subjected our old nature to the Cross, which killed it. In the unforming process which resulted from that death there is much experiential application needed for the realization of the death of the old nature; which is applied to us by The Father, so many lessons to be learned. Over time the work of the cross is applied to our old life and nature, progressively holding the death of the old in its grip. This is the uniforming of the old nature and the beginning of the conforming of the new. This new nature we already posses, but few realize it is the nature of Christ Himself. Not in just the act and resultant salvation afforded us by His death and Resurrection; but His very person has been integrated with our being. We have become one with Him in something called position. This is a spiritual place, yet a real and experiential place. The Father has seen fit to arrange our affairs that we are seen by Him in His Son and only in His Son; in the Fathers Mental/Spiritual observation of us, called the economy of God. We are now by His grace, judged to be full partakers of The Death and The Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Just as if it were actually us in person bodily. "For since we have become one with Him by sharing in His Death, we shall also be one with Him by sharing in His Resurrection. Surrender yourselves to God as living men who have risen from the dead" Rom. 6:5,13. However because we live in natural bodies we experience the world as all others, and tend to succumb to its ways and mode of life. The Word was given that we might learn to let the fact of our position in Christ Jesus overwhelm the feelings and circumstances of the natural condition. My friends, we simply must become unformed of the natural by the faith of what we are seen as by The Father in His Son, in order to partake of the spiritual life. All else is simply a motion we are going through, perhaps good and maybe Christian like and while certainly blessed by His grace, still only a motion.
I was in AA for many years and we had a saying; "fake it tell you make it". I think we could learn a lot from that idea. While I would not care to apply this thought to our faith, we must all admit we often start out small in that area. It takes time to grow, we have much work to do. All these things I am writing about, the stressing of knowing positional truth and identity in Christ, while far from perfect in my simple presentation and stumbling ways, are based upon biblical truths. The words are there for us to see, when and if we open the bible.We are however often blinded to them, simply from ignorance, laziness, preoccupation, or lack of discipline. Or we are simply caught up in a religious methodology etc. Yet we are explicitly told by God to Reckon [count it as true and applicable to our life] upon His written inspired Word. So sometimes, at least until we come up to speed, we have to simply trust, and act as if. Holding fast to the promise of the coming revelations we will learn by God's true Word if we are diligent. My friends if you do not step upon the path you will never arrive at the destination. Do not let the ways of the natural life, we all must contend with, rule your presence in the heavenly realm that The father has placed all believers in, in His Son.. Cast aside the traditions of men, risk it all to be found identified with Jesus Christ in a mental/spiritual position of a presence in Christ as your true identity. Come to know that for the purpose of God's knowledge and judgement of us, we have been transferred into Christ Jesus. Come to the foot of the Cross except to be in the unforming process. The result will be the occupation of your mortal body by the personality of Jesus Christ Himself. This simply must take place, or you will never know the gift The Father presented you in His Son outside of a temporary feeling. Yes you might be saved; but relegated to the earth continuing to be ruled by the natural inclinations, by your own natural choice. This is not the position of the Christian and not the place Christ sacrificed all to leave us in.
Our open participation in the new nature is called experiencing life, everything else is death. If a Christian cannot identify with his new nature as something to pursue and grow into, then he is in the wrong place. I do not mean by this the born again experience of our justification; which is all important real and true, but is still an experience, which while lasting as to God, dwindles as to the effect upon our natural personality or soul. Man was made to contain God, a privilege lost by sin's entrance. We were made in His image and likeness for that very purpose. Few seem to know that, I know for many years I did not. God has now dispensed Himself into us, by His Spirit, so we have to become ready vessels for that to take place in a realized fullness.We were made that anew by Christ when we inherited His nature when we first believed. After failing to meet the test in the garden God did not give up on us. He made us ready by His Son. God in us is life and Jesus is that life. Most Christians know that on some level, or at least can say that. But do we live it? Has Jesus Christ become our life? Are we even thinking of that as a possibility?
In the Death and Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus Christ we were transferred from Adam's nature to that of Christ. We were co-participants in all that He was and did. The result is to have Christ formed in us. We are not merely reformed, which is a choice, a way we may appear, even in sincerity, to be good Christians. The following of a plan. No my friends we are to know of our transformation. Reformed is to improve; but transformation means a complete change of being. Admittedly a much feared and little know path, but never the less one which all Christians are on, and one day all will realize! We are told in Romans, "do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of you mind". We are to gain a new mind, according to the mind of Christ; as Paul's said also in Romans,"put on [mental application] the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provisions for the flesh".
There are many options in the world and in Christian tradition which appear good, but it is in the transformed mind only that we will "prove what is good and acceptable and the perfect will of God". We all may be attracted to many things in the world scene and the organized conformity of the Church: but the longer we remain attached to this world and the traditions and modality of men, the more a part of us it becomes. But if we are open to the transforming process, we then may walk in the Spirit and thereby learn what to avoid in the way we manage our introspective mental observation of our Christian thought and identity. In other words we stop being victims, and then may gain a perception of the new nature we have received in the position in heaven we have with Jesus Christ. It is by the contemplation and biblical awareness formed in us that tells us we are there with Him. We are then beholding Him there in heaven mentally in spirit, representing us. We will then become in conscious union with Jesus Christ in glory. Our persona will gradually become adapted to this as the Christian's normal heavenly prescribed position.
If we dwell upon His person and His work on the earth only we do not enter His glory. He is not here. But if we see by position and identity we are in glory residing in spirit with Him as our faith goal we will begin to learn that it is; "by beholding the Lord Jesus in glory [heaven] with a unveiled face [not a natural or worldly view] we are transformed into the same image [positioned in Him in spirit] as Jesus Christ". This is the Holy Spirit's compete intent for us; a gradual transformation into a moral correspondence [our life is His] with the Holy Saviour Jesus Christ Himself. This my friends is a true spiritual reality which few it seems enter into consciously, but never the less, all are called too. It really is the only way we will ever be anything like Christ. Correct doctrine, much study, faithful attendance mislead many. They are mere substitutes for the humble heart, who will finally rest in the fact that it is the life and Spirit of another which holds his identity and position, his total new nature before The Father. It is only when we learn we are united with Him in glory that we can announce ourselves as new men and women. We then can by His grace be transformed to the highest order, present with Christ at the right hand of God. Not merely reformed but unformed, to then become transformed. Thanks again to J. B. Stoney for inspiration.
Death is oddly enough the entrance to our true salvation with unlimited view. The Father subjected our old nature to the Cross, which killed it. In the unforming process which resulted from that death there is much experiential application needed for the realization of the death of the old nature; which is applied to us by The Father, so many lessons to be learned. Over time the work of the cross is applied to our old life and nature, progressively holding the death of the old in its grip. This is the uniforming of the old nature and the beginning of the conforming of the new. This new nature we already posses, but few realize it is the nature of Christ Himself. Not in just the act and resultant salvation afforded us by His death and Resurrection; but His very person has been integrated with our being. We have become one with Him in something called position. This is a spiritual place, yet a real and experiential place. The Father has seen fit to arrange our affairs that we are seen by Him in His Son and only in His Son; in the Fathers Mental/Spiritual observation of us, called the economy of God. We are now by His grace, judged to be full partakers of The Death and The Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Just as if it were actually us in person bodily. "For since we have become one with Him by sharing in His Death, we shall also be one with Him by sharing in His Resurrection. Surrender yourselves to God as living men who have risen from the dead" Rom. 6:5,13. However because we live in natural bodies we experience the world as all others, and tend to succumb to its ways and mode of life. The Word was given that we might learn to let the fact of our position in Christ Jesus overwhelm the feelings and circumstances of the natural condition. My friends, we simply must become unformed of the natural by the faith of what we are seen as by The Father in His Son, in order to partake of the spiritual life. All else is simply a motion we are going through, perhaps good and maybe Christian like and while certainly blessed by His grace, still only a motion.
I was in AA for many years and we had a saying; "fake it tell you make it". I think we could learn a lot from that idea. While I would not care to apply this thought to our faith, we must all admit we often start out small in that area. It takes time to grow, we have much work to do. All these things I am writing about, the stressing of knowing positional truth and identity in Christ, while far from perfect in my simple presentation and stumbling ways, are based upon biblical truths. The words are there for us to see, when and if we open the bible.We are however often blinded to them, simply from ignorance, laziness, preoccupation, or lack of discipline. Or we are simply caught up in a religious methodology etc. Yet we are explicitly told by God to Reckon [count it as true and applicable to our life] upon His written inspired Word. So sometimes, at least until we come up to speed, we have to simply trust, and act as if. Holding fast to the promise of the coming revelations we will learn by God's true Word if we are diligent. My friends if you do not step upon the path you will never arrive at the destination. Do not let the ways of the natural life, we all must contend with, rule your presence in the heavenly realm that The father has placed all believers in, in His Son.. Cast aside the traditions of men, risk it all to be found identified with Jesus Christ in a mental/spiritual position of a presence in Christ as your true identity. Come to know that for the purpose of God's knowledge and judgement of us, we have been transferred into Christ Jesus. Come to the foot of the Cross except to be in the unforming process. The result will be the occupation of your mortal body by the personality of Jesus Christ Himself. This simply must take place, or you will never know the gift The Father presented you in His Son outside of a temporary feeling. Yes you might be saved; but relegated to the earth continuing to be ruled by the natural inclinations, by your own natural choice. This is not the position of the Christian and not the place Christ sacrificed all to leave us in.
Our open participation in the new nature is called experiencing life, everything else is death. If a Christian cannot identify with his new nature as something to pursue and grow into, then he is in the wrong place. I do not mean by this the born again experience of our justification; which is all important real and true, but is still an experience, which while lasting as to God, dwindles as to the effect upon our natural personality or soul. Man was made to contain God, a privilege lost by sin's entrance. We were made in His image and likeness for that very purpose. Few seem to know that, I know for many years I did not. God has now dispensed Himself into us, by His Spirit, so we have to become ready vessels for that to take place in a realized fullness.We were made that anew by Christ when we inherited His nature when we first believed. After failing to meet the test in the garden God did not give up on us. He made us ready by His Son. God in us is life and Jesus is that life. Most Christians know that on some level, or at least can say that. But do we live it? Has Jesus Christ become our life? Are we even thinking of that as a possibility?
In the Death and Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus Christ we were transferred from Adam's nature to that of Christ. We were co-participants in all that He was and did. The result is to have Christ formed in us. We are not merely reformed, which is a choice, a way we may appear, even in sincerity, to be good Christians. The following of a plan. No my friends we are to know of our transformation. Reformed is to improve; but transformation means a complete change of being. Admittedly a much feared and little know path, but never the less one which all Christians are on, and one day all will realize! We are told in Romans, "do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of you mind". We are to gain a new mind, according to the mind of Christ; as Paul's said also in Romans,"put on [mental application] the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provisions for the flesh".
There are many options in the world and in Christian tradition which appear good, but it is in the transformed mind only that we will "prove what is good and acceptable and the perfect will of God". We all may be attracted to many things in the world scene and the organized conformity of the Church: but the longer we remain attached to this world and the traditions and modality of men, the more a part of us it becomes. But if we are open to the transforming process, we then may walk in the Spirit and thereby learn what to avoid in the way we manage our introspective mental observation of our Christian thought and identity. In other words we stop being victims, and then may gain a perception of the new nature we have received in the position in heaven we have with Jesus Christ. It is by the contemplation and biblical awareness formed in us that tells us we are there with Him. We are then beholding Him there in heaven mentally in spirit, representing us. We will then become in conscious union with Jesus Christ in glory. Our persona will gradually become adapted to this as the Christian's normal heavenly prescribed position.
If we dwell upon His person and His work on the earth only we do not enter His glory. He is not here. But if we see by position and identity we are in glory residing in spirit with Him as our faith goal we will begin to learn that it is; "by beholding the Lord Jesus in glory [heaven] with a unveiled face [not a natural or worldly view] we are transformed into the same image [positioned in Him in spirit] as Jesus Christ". This is the Holy Spirit's compete intent for us; a gradual transformation into a moral correspondence [our life is His] with the Holy Saviour Jesus Christ Himself. This my friends is a true spiritual reality which few it seems enter into consciously, but never the less, all are called too. It really is the only way we will ever be anything like Christ. Correct doctrine, much study, faithful attendance mislead many. They are mere substitutes for the humble heart, who will finally rest in the fact that it is the life and Spirit of another which holds his identity and position, his total new nature before The Father. It is only when we learn we are united with Him in glory that we can announce ourselves as new men and women. We then can by His grace be transformed to the highest order, present with Christ at the right hand of God. Not merely reformed but unformed, to then become transformed. Thanks again to J. B. Stoney for inspiration.
Saturday, May 3, 2014
NOT SURE YET WHO YOU ARE ?
I sometimes wonder about all this spiritual stuff. After all we can only experience what we are, and we are all just humans. But The Word says; "we are not in the flesh but in the Spirit". Yet we are constantly struggling and trying to recover what we think The Father wants us to be for Him. It surely could not be for us only that we try so hard. After all were just a part of the withering mass stumbling about the earth; what good are we anyway? Well perhaps we are some good or the Father would not have chosen us: but at least the consideration of applying the natural life, the old man or the flesh, must be disallowed for anything worthy of God to be accomplished, all must be done in Spirit as He demands in His Word. However it seem that the conditions of the flesh is what we are the busiest with. That is not resting in what we are in spirit; but always trying to adjust our own behavior to programs of our own making, worldly needs or someones agenda, via well planned Christian activities etc.. Well then if man out side of The Spirit is not a functioning member of the Body of Christ who may be? For crying out loud how on earth do we enter into something other than what we are? Yet that is what is called for. "But you are not living the life of the flesh [natural man] you are living the life of the Spirit, if The Holy Spirit of God really dwells within you-directs and controls you" Rom. 8:9, Amp. Well friends there you have it we are to live the life of the Spirit, we can only do that it seems if the Spirit of God really dwells in us and not only dwells but directs and controls us. The "if " is in the dwelling of God in us, which evidently eliminates the natural flesh as what we may dwell in for this purpose as; "it is impossible to please God in the [natural state] flesh". Well if that is true then how can we be assured of our dwelling place? Or should I say, to know He dwells within us, to know we are operating in The Spirit.
On the surface the answer is very simple for the Bible says: "we are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power". This is a fact of faith for all born again Christians to be reckoned upon. We just don't often know it enough! A hint might be the Word's call for us to be completed "in Him". Maybe sometimes we feel quite sure, other times not, because we are disappointed in ourselves. Perhaps it is our behavior, even sin. Or could it be the burden of a discernment that something is wrong here? So much of what much of the Church has taken on as identity it seems, is a fleshly effort to make something they see as a sort of godly duty come true, in a effort to make the world a better place and establish a happy prosperous Christian community. Which is not a bad thing, just not the call of the Church, nor the Christian. "But God forbid that I should glory, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world" Gal. 6:14. Never the less, I have come to see that God is using all the earth and all the people to accomplish His will and I take soils in that, no need to judge. But I must discern. In order to discern I must know what I am in my self evaluation first. The not knowing our true godly personality is the most prominent point of immaturity and weakness for the Christian I believe. But if I grow in Spirit, I may become wise enough to align myself with the people of God who are most sincerely attempting to live the Christian life in Spirit. And just what is that like? It is nothing more nor less, than the open declaration and display of Jesus Christ as life. Not as works or accomplishments to display our goodness, nor even a doctrinal academic mental position, but the life of Christ in the inner man first! No one will or can live a perfect biblical approved life. We cannot expect that. But by the same token we should be able to gain enough maturity in Christ as the goal of our life to know the difference. My good and faithful friends if you are not seeking with all of your heart's desire a life in Christ; then you cannot be sure who you are yet. If one is not gaining spiritual knowledge and maturity from his personal search of The Word of God, then he only has one other place of influence, the world and the natural flesh nature!
In order to change and grow, we must take on the redefining of ourselves into what the bible, God's Word, has openly revealed us to be; and then believe it. "Seek those thing which are above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God" Col. 3:1. " I long to know Christ and the power which is in His resurrection" Phil. 3:10. This really and quite simply is the total spiritual duty of the Christian. We should have no other overriding goal in life. To what are we chained? This is the question we should ask ourselves! Is it something that makes the Christ life constant and true? Call it a biblical/spiritual sense of orientation as to a our new nature. There are only two options available in the living of life on earth. The first is in our flesh or the natural as life, where we perceive things in the natural mind and we have unlimited room for failure. Ask yourself what is your daily concern most attuned to? Your worldly affairs, money, family difficulties, Church duty's etc. Or the second choice, Christ as life. In Him only will we will find the firm foundation, from which we cannot fail or fall both now and forever. How does this work? Again simply put, only death and sin resides in the flesh, no spiritual mature man need apply for a true Christ life in the flesh mode; he simply cannot be accepted! Whereas if our identity is found in Christ as conscious thought of He who sits at the right hand of the father, in the form of a man. And by that as our own definition we may know a justification before God, entirely by the Representative presence of Jesus. The place of perfect righteousness for us viewed by The Father in The Son, as The Son presents us to The Father in Himself. This must become the clear and overriding view we have of our Christian new nature, which is totally a spiritual matter.
Well then just who are we by a conscious understanding of life in the Spirit. The bible tells us without any hesitation in plane words few care to risk to understand. " Now the God of peace...make you perfect [complete and mature] in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ" Heb. 13:20,21. By risk I mean, it seems the dearest wish for mankind is to maintain a sense of themselves; Christianity calls for just the opposite. The Christian life is the presentation and expression of The Lord Jesus Christ through the believer to men in the world, and also to the Church. There is nothing else for us the Church to do! The question is then, to what are we anchored? Is it something that makes life constant, seeking Christ in all our ways. Are we obliged to life in The Spirit? Or, are we still living in the realm of death by engaging in life's perception in the natural man? A change of mind it seems is required to know who we are. In other words we must seek maturity. Which requires self evaluation and hard work.
There is no one more protective of their inner self than a child. We think of them as so open and free. Not true. They are trapped, victims of their condition, as self centered beings. We all know the child will cry until he gets what he wants, its only natural. The last thing a child will tolerate is a change of direction he is set upon! This is also the condition of the vast sea of immature Christians. He is held in childhood by himself first and reinforced in his choice by a complacent church. The door of the presentation of being challenged to turn his back on the world is held closed by a need to be pampered, the desire to do good things, and thereby become fulfilled; which the provision of, the institutional church has taken to a fine art. Like the declaration of governments; send us your money give us your attention, we will do many good works as your representatives and you then may feel a sense of accomplishment, never fear you are a part of us. That cannot be the true calling of those who have a life in Christ. We must all come to know that on some level, or we will perish, at least to the active living of Christ in this life, in favor of the world and the flesh. Why would we choose that Christian friend? May it never be!
No my friends it is past time we grow up. All the truth needed for the accomplishment of God's purpose upon the earth has been revealed. We must stop listening to men, perhaps of good intent, but many are of the world. The life of the Christian is not one of improvement as to worldly condition. The bible say's "we are not even citizens of this world". If anything we are called to suffer. Remember the Word says: "As He is so are we in this world" 1 John 4:17. This is a great and most wonderful saying, and we can aspire to a perfect destination by it. But He also suffered and died that we may have life. He still bears the scars, as he showed Thomas. He is in heaven with those same wounds. Are we any better? What a privilege it is to walk in the light of the new creation, even in pain and weakness. He is our righteousness and sanctification, our all in all. Our very Christian life. Our motive for obedience should be in the faith of His footsteps, perhaps persecuted and scorned. We must walk so as to nurture a life in Christ Jesus, regardless of the sacrifice. The word say's of Jesus; "Who died for all, that they that live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him who died for them and rose again" 2 Cor. 5:15 From this day forward its my prayer we will all be sure who we are!!
On the surface the answer is very simple for the Bible says: "we are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power". This is a fact of faith for all born again Christians to be reckoned upon. We just don't often know it enough! A hint might be the Word's call for us to be completed "in Him". Maybe sometimes we feel quite sure, other times not, because we are disappointed in ourselves. Perhaps it is our behavior, even sin. Or could it be the burden of a discernment that something is wrong here? So much of what much of the Church has taken on as identity it seems, is a fleshly effort to make something they see as a sort of godly duty come true, in a effort to make the world a better place and establish a happy prosperous Christian community. Which is not a bad thing, just not the call of the Church, nor the Christian. "But God forbid that I should glory, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world" Gal. 6:14. Never the less, I have come to see that God is using all the earth and all the people to accomplish His will and I take soils in that, no need to judge. But I must discern. In order to discern I must know what I am in my self evaluation first. The not knowing our true godly personality is the most prominent point of immaturity and weakness for the Christian I believe. But if I grow in Spirit, I may become wise enough to align myself with the people of God who are most sincerely attempting to live the Christian life in Spirit. And just what is that like? It is nothing more nor less, than the open declaration and display of Jesus Christ as life. Not as works or accomplishments to display our goodness, nor even a doctrinal academic mental position, but the life of Christ in the inner man first! No one will or can live a perfect biblical approved life. We cannot expect that. But by the same token we should be able to gain enough maturity in Christ as the goal of our life to know the difference. My good and faithful friends if you are not seeking with all of your heart's desire a life in Christ; then you cannot be sure who you are yet. If one is not gaining spiritual knowledge and maturity from his personal search of The Word of God, then he only has one other place of influence, the world and the natural flesh nature!
In order to change and grow, we must take on the redefining of ourselves into what the bible, God's Word, has openly revealed us to be; and then believe it. "Seek those thing which are above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God" Col. 3:1. " I long to know Christ and the power which is in His resurrection" Phil. 3:10. This really and quite simply is the total spiritual duty of the Christian. We should have no other overriding goal in life. To what are we chained? This is the question we should ask ourselves! Is it something that makes the Christ life constant and true? Call it a biblical/spiritual sense of orientation as to a our new nature. There are only two options available in the living of life on earth. The first is in our flesh or the natural as life, where we perceive things in the natural mind and we have unlimited room for failure. Ask yourself what is your daily concern most attuned to? Your worldly affairs, money, family difficulties, Church duty's etc. Or the second choice, Christ as life. In Him only will we will find the firm foundation, from which we cannot fail or fall both now and forever. How does this work? Again simply put, only death and sin resides in the flesh, no spiritual mature man need apply for a true Christ life in the flesh mode; he simply cannot be accepted! Whereas if our identity is found in Christ as conscious thought of He who sits at the right hand of the father, in the form of a man. And by that as our own definition we may know a justification before God, entirely by the Representative presence of Jesus. The place of perfect righteousness for us viewed by The Father in The Son, as The Son presents us to The Father in Himself. This must become the clear and overriding view we have of our Christian new nature, which is totally a spiritual matter.
Well then just who are we by a conscious understanding of life in the Spirit. The bible tells us without any hesitation in plane words few care to risk to understand. " Now the God of peace...make you perfect [complete and mature] in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ" Heb. 13:20,21. By risk I mean, it seems the dearest wish for mankind is to maintain a sense of themselves; Christianity calls for just the opposite. The Christian life is the presentation and expression of The Lord Jesus Christ through the believer to men in the world, and also to the Church. There is nothing else for us the Church to do! The question is then, to what are we anchored? Is it something that makes life constant, seeking Christ in all our ways. Are we obliged to life in The Spirit? Or, are we still living in the realm of death by engaging in life's perception in the natural man? A change of mind it seems is required to know who we are. In other words we must seek maturity. Which requires self evaluation and hard work.
There is no one more protective of their inner self than a child. We think of them as so open and free. Not true. They are trapped, victims of their condition, as self centered beings. We all know the child will cry until he gets what he wants, its only natural. The last thing a child will tolerate is a change of direction he is set upon! This is also the condition of the vast sea of immature Christians. He is held in childhood by himself first and reinforced in his choice by a complacent church. The door of the presentation of being challenged to turn his back on the world is held closed by a need to be pampered, the desire to do good things, and thereby become fulfilled; which the provision of, the institutional church has taken to a fine art. Like the declaration of governments; send us your money give us your attention, we will do many good works as your representatives and you then may feel a sense of accomplishment, never fear you are a part of us. That cannot be the true calling of those who have a life in Christ. We must all come to know that on some level, or we will perish, at least to the active living of Christ in this life, in favor of the world and the flesh. Why would we choose that Christian friend? May it never be!
No my friends it is past time we grow up. All the truth needed for the accomplishment of God's purpose upon the earth has been revealed. We must stop listening to men, perhaps of good intent, but many are of the world. The life of the Christian is not one of improvement as to worldly condition. The bible say's "we are not even citizens of this world". If anything we are called to suffer. Remember the Word says: "As He is so are we in this world" 1 John 4:17. This is a great and most wonderful saying, and we can aspire to a perfect destination by it. But He also suffered and died that we may have life. He still bears the scars, as he showed Thomas. He is in heaven with those same wounds. Are we any better? What a privilege it is to walk in the light of the new creation, even in pain and weakness. He is our righteousness and sanctification, our all in all. Our very Christian life. Our motive for obedience should be in the faith of His footsteps, perhaps persecuted and scorned. We must walk so as to nurture a life in Christ Jesus, regardless of the sacrifice. The word say's of Jesus; "Who died for all, that they that live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him who died for them and rose again" 2 Cor. 5:15 From this day forward its my prayer we will all be sure who we are!!
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